


draining the power

by flowerthatbloomedinadversity (AzaWhite)



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, F/M, Missing Scene, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23336449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzaWhite/pseuds/flowerthatbloomedinadversity
Summary: "He was draining all of my magic with the ember, and I felt all of my powers slipping away."  -MalWhat was Hades doing, draining Mal's magic? One short explanation.
Relationships: Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants)
Kudos: 78





	draining the power

_“There’s only one person in the world who might be able to do something about this, and that’s Hades.”_

_“Hades? He wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t risk it.”_

_Mal turned to Ben. “Actually, he might do it for me.” She took a deep breath, and Ben noticed Evie’s eyes widening. “He’s my father.”_

Oh. Oh wow. Ben took a deep breath. He looked around the room. Everyone except Evie and Celia looked surprised. So it wasn’t just him. “Okay.” He awkwardly crossed his arms and then uncrossed them. “Were you going to tell me?”

Mal winced. “Eventually? I mean…he mostly donated some DNA and ran so…he’s not like, my dad. I rarely even think of him, really.”

“Well, I’ll have to send guards to get him.” There really wasn’t a choice, was there? Audrey, for all she had done, didn’t deserve to die.

Ben waited for the conversation to lull before stepping towards the door to make arrangements. Mal followed him out, pressing a quick, apologetic kiss to his cheek. “I am sorry, Ben.”

He shrugged, opening his mouth to respond before a thought occurred to him. “Wait. So…that day we went to the Isle—when he almost got through the barrier—”

Mal looked up at him quizzically. “Yeah?”

“You said he was draining your power.”

The room went dead silent. At a glance, only Carlos was trying to look like he wasn’t listening. The others had turned to them with rapt interest.

Mal turned pink. “I mean… the only way the ember worked for me was because I’m part Hades. He was draining the Fae half of me. The ember probably wouldn’t have worked as well if that little fight hadn’t happened.”

“So he was draining Maleficent out of you?”

She shrugged. “They never really got along. It’s…why he left. So he says.”

“Ah.” Ben again turned toward the door, mind whirling.

Mal sat back down at Audrey’s side. “If he won’t do it for me, he might do it to spite Mother.”

Ben’s phone rang, and he picked it up with no small amount of apprehension. “Yes?”

“Your Majesty, Hades has been successfully retrieved.”

He released a sigh. “Thank you…did he resist?”

The soldier paused and Ben heard a slight whirring noise as presumably the soundproof barrier between the front and passenger compartments was raised. “Surprisingly, no.”

“Hmm. What did you tell him?”

The soldier cleared his throat. “Once Miss Facilier showed us into his…abode, he…did not match the impression that his attempted escape gave.”

Ben leaned forward in his seat. “How so?”

“…He asked if this meant Auradon was safe. Miss Facilier…she nodded and seemed to tell him something without words. He seemed to relax after that.”

That was interesting. Ben cleared his throat. “And then?”

“And then we told him we were there to take him to the castle to revive Princess Audrey, per request of Lady Mal. He scoffed but did not resist.” The solider paused again. “Your Majesty, if I may…?”

Ben frowned slightly. “No, you may not.” Mal had clearly revealed her father under distress, and he wasn’t about to allow idle gossip spread, however true. “Dismissed.”

He ended the call and breathed out heavily, putting his head in his hands. Did Hades care about his daughter enough to not resist, or was there something else at play? And why would he drain the Fae half of Mal? What was the big game Hades was betting on?

Whatever it was, he could only hope it wouldn’t interfere with Auradon’s peace.

Several weeks passed since the barrier had been taken down, and Ben’s desk had never seen so much paperwork. Ben had undertaken the massive task of helping rehabilitating the villains and their offspring, with the help of Jay, Carlos, Evie, and Mal. All villains who were willing to put aside their old ways and sign a magical contract to that effect were to be given pardons and crown funding to establish a new life.

Ben was buried halfway under a pile of paperwork when the door to his office opened, practically giving him a heart attack. Papers fluttered in the air as he struggled to compose himself. When he finally spied his unexpected visitor, he cleared his throat, embarrassed to be caught off-guard. After all, he did have a meeting scheduled with him.

“Ah, Hades.”

“Your Majestiness.”

“Um—uh—well, why don’t you have a seat? We can discuss your options—”

“Don’t need to. I’m going back to the Underworld. You’ll have me out of your hair.” Hades delivered a killer smirk. “Won’t even try to free the Titians.”

Ben frowned. “Are you sure? I know Mal would like to spend more time—”

Hades shook his head. “Nah, I’m sure. The Underworld’s probably been in chaos since I…left. ‘Sides, I’ll get to spend eternity with Mali later.”

“…What?”

The god smiled in grim amusement. “God of the Dead, remember? And I removed the pesky bits of Mal’s Fae inheritance to allow her the option of joining me as a kind of…co-ruler.”

“Ah.” Ben didn’t know what to think. “Is that why you drained her power that day?”

“Yup.” Hades walked to the door but paused before leaving. “Remember, pretty boy, you don’t have that option. I’ll have your soul to do with as I please.”

Ben gulped.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave kudos and/or a comment if you enjoyed!


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